The migration issue cannot be resolved with relocations, that is not the crux: the primary movements must be stopped. The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, is convinced of this and reiterated it during a long interview with ‘Porta a Porta’ on the day when tensions with Europe on this issue rise again. Despite the agreement with Tunisia, “in part – he explains – I expected the migratory crisis, but some time ago we told the EU that we could no longer welcome the ‘Dublin people’ on our own, and we needed Europe to give us a hand. The issue of relocation is secondary, very few people have been relocated in recent months. The only way to resolve it for everyone is to stop the primary movements, therefore the arrivals in Italy.” But the position of the deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, is harsher, accusing the EU: “This is an exodus” of migrants “planned by organized crime. It is an act of war” and “what happens in Lampedusa is death in Europe. The dead newborn baby represents political, cultural, social and value death.” And he warns: “Italy is alone. France and Germany? I don’t know where the solidarity has ended. If we have to do it alone, no mode of intervention cannot be ruled out.”
While the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, assures that we continue “to work to stop the arrivals”, the M5S leader, Giuseppe Conte, attacks: “The failure of the government’s migration policies is also certified by the fact that France and Germany are turning their backs on us We are isolated. France and Germany are wrong but this government must remain silent and cannot say anything because in front of their Polish and Hungarian friends, when they did not accept the redistribution agreement, they said that they were right because they protected national interests” .
But it’s not just the issue of migrants. During Bruno Vespa’s broadcast, Meloni talks across the board about the government’s action and the next steps. She is very clear about Caivano’s ‘strikes’: “We will respond blow for blow, the State cannot retreat. Obviously it is not just a question of law enforcement, it is a long job, on prevention, on education, in which action must be taken all together. But let it be clear that I am not intimidated by organized crime.” We move on to talking about reforms and the prime minister assures: “We are ready for the modification of the Constitution” on the premiership, I think we will present it officially in the next few weeks. It is something that the Italians have asked us to do, choose who to govern and give more stability.” Meloni then talks about the tax on banks’ extra profits (“There is no punitive intent, the banks have earned thanks to the increases in mortgage rates but savers have not seen the interest on their deposits increase”) and about the Superbonus: “The Building bonuses implemented by the Conte government have cost 140 billion to date. On average, a budget law for one year is worth 20-30 billion. This is to understand the order. Something must not have worked if when these measures were made it was a much lower cost was imagined. The estimates were wrong, and it didn’t work as these rules were written, because today we have 12 billion euros worth of scams. Things must be done with a certain criterion, because the 140 billion you put aside one part you have to remove from the other.”
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On the Ita-Lufthansa dossier he adds: “We are in Europe with our heads held high and we defend our interests, and when we find a solution that has been asked for for years for Ita I would expect a ‘thank you’. We have inherited strategic dossiers with very complex situations, we are looking for structural solutions. When we find them we ask that Europe also lend us a hand.” Finally, in view of the maneuver he explains: “We have not taken money away from healthcare. Clearly we need to pay attention to the reference parameter, because if we use the Covid years there obviously healthcare spending had skyrocketed. But compared to 2019 it is not like says the left.” Now “for me the priority is to reduce waiting lists”. The outcome, for the leader of the Brothers of Italy, is positive: “I am confident and at peace with my conscience, because in this year I could not have worked harder and now I see a better Italy. Govern the nation a little it’s the litmus test of everything you’ve said, you have to prove that you’re not making fun of people. But it’s also exciting.” What loses out, he confesses, is his private life: “Currently there is nothing in my life apart from what I have to do. I miss the freedom of being a spontaneous person a bit. You are never alone, you always have someone around you. I will take Ginevra with me to New York, if I didn’t take her with me I wouldn’t see her.”
